Dragon Age: Lusacan's Ascension
by ConjuringTheLegacy
Summary: Betrayal results in the retreat of a guardsman & the six boys he was meant to protect from the land that was once called home. 20 years come to pass & they return to Ferelden to find that near all of Thedas has been overrun by the Darkspawn as a result of the Seventh Blight. The Six from Highever discover that their destiny lies within themselves & in the meaning of family.


**A/N: This is an original story from the original owner of this account. He gave everything to me including said title and control of this account. This is strictly a preview of this story. I will not be posting the actual story for quite some time! But I wanted to give everyone an idea of what is to come. Enjoy!**

 **Prologue Part 1: The Grey**

 _In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death, sacrifice... The words and foremost oath that the Grey Wardens have followed since the dawn of their creation. They give their lives to fight the darkness that brews beneath the surface of Thedas, living by only the blade that they are given to wield. Riding amongst the back of griffons into battle, readying themselves to take more and more lives from the deadliest of creatures: the Darkspawn._

 _The evil they brew from the smell of their breath leaves the foulest of stench to poison the air. They are merciless, unforgiving, and terrifying. They do not stop with their thirst. They seek only the blood of every dweller on the surface. And even those that live underground. Elves, Dwarves, Qunari... it matters to them not; everyone is an enemy. And with enemies comes war._

 _Some believe there is a way to bargain with the Darkspawn, but little do they know that this is impetuous. There is no negotiation or reprieve from the ongoing bloodshed. They seek blood... they want our land... They search... for their Gods._

 _And with Six Blights come to pass, the Darkspawn continue their hunt for_ _the only way to achieve control of the land... the power of the last Old God, Lusacan._ _The most powerful and feared of the seven Old Gods. It is said that with a swing of his talon, he can collapse entire mountains. With the gaze of his eyes, he can draw the blood from the body. And with the roar of his voice, he can resurrect the dead._

 _It is clear as to why he is feared so, for he is the Dragon of the Night._

 _..._ _And I can sense that he is near... - A_ _n Unknown_ _Grey Warden_

In the highest room of the tallest tower amongst the mountains that overlook the kingdom of Highever, the Teryn placed a goblet on the stand that lied next to his bedside. It's sparkling crested jewels reflected the light of the fire underneath the mantle that rested across the room, shining like the full of the moon. His intake of breath, as shallow as it was, escaped him almost as quickly as it went inward as a result for the dismay and turmoil torturing his mind. The word of his most trusted of the castle's guards plagued him like locusts upon a field of crops. There was a darkness coming, and it's next target consisted of the kingdom he tried so hard to live for.

 _It is not the obvious shadow that will fall upon the kingdom. They are not near... yet. But I can feel something stirring in the darkness. Something_ _or someone_ _is coming... and you must be ready._

What kind of madness could result from an attack upon Highever? It wasn't the forthcoming danger that frightened him, but the chaos that followed in the aftermath. What would happen to his kingdom if order would fall? Where would the people go if everything changed to the likes of an abyss withered with demons and evil spirits? No one could withstand that sort of disorder without having to fight for their lives and resist the urge to further the rivers of blood that would fill the trails in the kingdom. With the fall of the people, the foundation to his home would crumble beneath it's own support.

But what is it? What is coming that has his most loyal guard on edge with his hand never leaving the hilt of his sword? When the night is over and the sun peeks over the horizon, he would confront Tiberius about his words of discontentment. The Teryn believed that if there is a great evil coming, he deserved to know, and by extension, the people.

But before the people, he would see his family safe. As selfish and diminutive as it is when compared to the hundreds living in the kingdom of Highever, the Teryn would rather his guard protect his family before others. His beautiful wife, his six high spirited children... their lives were more important to him than his own soul. And with the coming of Arl Dominicus, he ensured himself that he would have the castle's guards on family duty.

"What's on your mind, dear?" Teryn Paarvin was broken from his thoughts when his wife, Jeanine, noticed his blank stare at the crackling fire. She got out of bed and walked over to him, his eyes focusing towards her as she did so. Laying a hand upon his naked shoulder, she asked, "Is something wrong, Paarvin?"

"Yes... and no... I don't know. I just have loads on my mind." He replied to her as he laid a hand upon hers that rested on his shoulder.

"Want to talk about it?"

"It's just about what Tiberius told me. His words really have me on edge tonight." He paused to take in a deep breath. "Something is coming, my darling. I can feel it in my veins. It's like crawling on my skin with small feathers. I can't explain it but I know that deep within me, what he says is true. I'm just not sure what it is."

"Do you believe _he_ knows?" She asked, taking a kneel right next to her husband. "If this is haunting you so, then Tiberius must know some bit of the sort. I don't believe he would tell you this unless he knew something entirely."

"In the way he was speaking, I'm not sure if he does or not." Paarvin looked at her, his eyes drooping with fear, "But if what he says is true, what do I do? It's my duty to lead the people of Highever, whether it's in battle or retreat. But I won't allow myself to separate from you and our children."

"You need not worry about your sons nor I, Paarvin. We are well protected by your guardsmen, and Tiberius is with our sons at all times. They never leave his sight, and I, yours." Jeanine smiled, brushing her fingertips along the scruff on his cheek. "And with the amount of mischief those boys of ours get into, I'm not sure how he hasn't made way for Amaranthine yet."

"Well they are _our_ boys, my love." He returned her smile right back and stood up. "But what of my people? What shall be their fate should this _darkness_ escalate?"

"What does your heart tell you? Any decision you make, no matter right or wrong, I will stand by your side. If this will consume us then it will devour us together." Jeanine wrapped her arms around him in a hug, laying her head upon his shoulder. "Now, no more thinking about this. Let's head to bed and sleep away our worries. And tomorrow, do what needs to be done, Paarvin."

"You are right... Come morning, I will speak with Tiberius about this. He must know more than he's letting on."

Being the loving wife that she is, Jeanine grabbed Paarvin's hand and led him over to their bed, allowing him to get under the fluffy covers first before herself. She turned towards him and laid her hand upon his cheek again, giving him a comforting smile that seemed to chase away his fears. Not another word was spoken as they stared into each others eyes for a few moments longer before drifting away into a deep and solid sleep.

 **X X X**

 _"_ _You are more than right, my Lord..."_ Tiberius thought to himself as he stood next to the closed doors that bore entrance to the Teryn's personal room. There was no need for the doors to be creaked open, for he could hear everything through the solid wooden surface. He distance himself from the door and walked away; back to the chamber where the young boys slept.

 _"I have seen it; I have dreamt about it. It was written in the scriptures that the people of Thedas would need us again. We were banished 300 years ago after the close of the Breach that damn near devoured the world. We returned in shadow when Razikale had_ _awoken_ _from the Deep Roads_ _over 30 years ago._ _We ended the Blight before it even began._ _All but myself had perished to slay the Old God before he had risen."_

Tiberius walked down the trail in the courtyard that lied in the center of the castle, eyeballing a brightly burning torch that lit up a partial area of the grass. _"I was but a young lad, withering with the Grey at the age of 20. To survive such an endeavor was a feature most would deem luck. But the other Wardens sacrificed themselves to ensure that I would escape the Deep Roads and carry on the legacy of the Grey Wardens."_

The guardsman had approached the door that led to the hallway where the boy's chamber rested. He laid his hand upon the wooden surface, closing his eyes as more memories flooded through him. _"I can still see their faces of blood. The armor adorned to the Wardens smothered in the color that sourced their flesh. The lifeless eyes of Darniss; my mentor, my friend. To leave was a disgrace to myself and the order. But when every Warden that existed entered the Deep Roads to kill the beast,_ _and slay every Darkspawn in their path,_ _the order disappeared... and not a single soul in the world would even notice._ _Is this a blessing or a curse? To live without my brethren but to live nonetheless."_

Tiberius walked through the door, proceeding down the hallway that was dimly lit up with several burning torches. The pattern of darkness and light did not bother him, though the reminder that it brought, hurt him immensely. _"The darkened Roads. After the fall of the Archdemon, I spent three days fighting my way out of the Deep Roads. Most of it was dark. But on the edge of darkness was some hope of light. When I finally reached the surface, I did not waste time to leave Thedas. If I was discovered_ _by the people in Fereld_ _e_ _n_ _, I would be sentenced to a life_ _of_ _imprisonment... or death._ _I left to Amaranthine where I lived in Kirkwall, leaving behind my life as a Grey Warden. I was young. I knew nothing of the rituals for recruitment, therefore I feared the attempt to do so."_

He made a sudden stop at the majestic carved double doors that made the entrance to his Majesty's children's chamber. He walked in slowly to keep the creak of the hinges at a low so as the boys would not stir from their deep sleep. The door closed behind him and he stood to the side, maintaining the position he had before he made his way to the Teryn's room. The six beds that were before him were placed in a perfect circle throughout the room, filled with small boys aged in childhood.

Tiberius could not help but think about what he was to do when the time came. Being at his age now, he could not do it on his own. He needed recruits... He needed more Grey Wardens.

 _"_ _When the dreams began again, I knew the Seventh had awoken from his slumber. I could see his pitch black eyes staring into me like a shadow follows in the sun. I left the 28 years I lived in Kirkwall as a beggar, and sailed around Fereld_ _e_ _n to reach the Southern Lands that rested in the outskirts. I had to find the old encampment that located in the peaks of the cold mountains where the Grey Wardens lived after being banished. And for 300 years, they had done so. When I arrived, I realized one thing that set the weight of the world upon my shoulders... I was the last. When Razikale had awoken, every Grey Warden returned to Fereld_ _e_ _n... and every Warden died to ensure that the Sixth Blight would not come to fruition. Every Warden except for me. During those years, I was aware of it. But it didn't hit me until I returned to our homeland."_

He took in a deep breath, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword that lay sheathed upon his hip. _"I retrained my old self to remember the ways of battle and learn the responsibilities of being a Grey Warden from the Tome. I was aged but I was still fairly new to the order... or what was left of it."_

 _"_ _I returned to Fereld_ _e_ _n,_ _with altered appearances,_ _after a year of remembering the_ _path_ _, and came across a wagon under assault on my ventures through the Hinterlands. Being my newer self, and forgiving myself from what I had done in the Deep Roads, I could not stand by and watch bandits destroy a royal transport with children inside. The concept of greed. It all derived from the smell of Gold and Platinum. I murdered every single one of them, saving the Teryn's wife and their six children from injury and despair._ _Her guards were dead, hit by ambush, and they were far from home. After her thanks and the drying tears of her sons, I agreed to request for transport to Castle Highever."_

 _"_ _And since then... I have never left these boys without protection from the dangers of the world at the behest of his Majesty. And with my dreams now hitting me during the time with my eyes open, I fear the Calling is beginning. I will hold this great burden until the day I pass to the rifts of the Fade... but there is no other choice. Rebuild, reshape... The order will be reborn."_

The sound of footsteps in the darkness broke Tiberius out of his thoughts. He turned towards the door he stood next to but kept his hand placed on the hilt of his blade. Carefully laying his hand on the flat surface, he pushed it open slowly, the creaks sounding but a few small pitches. And when he only saw shadow, he pulled his blade out, readying himself for any possible danger to come forth.

"Whoa! What's that for?" A child's voice broke out with the sound of a few thuds along the stoned floor. An orange rolled towards Tiberius' feet, his eyes staring at it as it did so. Immediately, he was aware of who the child was hiding in the darkness, and he rolled his eyes.

"Young Master Dean... Why are you in the larder again at this time of night?" He asked, placing the sword back into the sheath on his hip. "Your mother will have my head if she discovered you snuck out again to fill your stomach."

"Well... I was..."

"I know, I know. You were hungry... Like always." Tiberius smirked, shaking his head. The child walked into the candlelight that gave the chamber a bit of brightness, with several pieces of fruits and vegetables gathered in his hands. Dean was adorned in only his subligar, giving Tiberius a puzzled expression across his face. "And dressed naught but your skin. Do you have no shame, young one?"

"Nope... I'm just hungry."

Tiberius bent over to pick up the orange and replied, "Despite your lack of self control over your hunger, it is time to sleep. I will have to return all this back to..." He paused for a moment when he realized how much food was in the boy's hands, "Maker's breath, Dean, where do you put all this food when you eat it? It's like your stomach is bottomless."

Dean shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. But do I have to? I'm not tired."

"Regardless if you are tired or not, you must sleep. This is not up for discussion." The guardsmen spoke to him sternly, assuring the lad that he was being serious about resting up for the next day. He grabbed all of the food from the boy's hands and placed it all in knapsack that laid next to the crate by one of the other boy's bed.

Dean dropped his hands to his sides, disappointed that his guardian wouldn't let him relish in the buffet he was close to enjoying. "Fine. But I will get my food back. You can never see me when it's dark."

Tiberius shook his head, "That may be, but I can see you now. Subterfuge is not an ability to take lightly but nonetheless, you are no master yet. Now to bed, my dear boy."

The guardsman stood next to Dean's bed, lifting the covers to see the stuffing underneath that the boy shaped to look like a body. The young one jumped in quickly, laying his head down as the latter laid the covers over him. He tucked him in nice and tight, and nearly walked away when Dean called his name, "Tiberius?"

"Yes?" He replied turning back to him.

"Can you tell me a story about the Grey Wardens again?"

Tiberius resisted the urge to raise his brow, inhaling deeply for a second to think about his answer. He always told the boys bedtime stories of the glorious days of the legendary Grey Wardens but he also made them swear to never reveal to anybody that he was doing so. If light was shed on him, he would have to leave Ferelden to avoid being punished for all the chaos that brewed all those years ago from the hands of the corrupted Grey Wardens. The man knew that the sins of the many would be bestowed upon the will of the last.

"Master Dean, not..."

"Please?"

The boy's begging got to him almost instantly, and he smiled, "Oh alright. We must keep it quiet though. Your brothers are sleeping." He pulled a chair away from the wall and set it down next to Dean's bed, sitting in it right after. "I wonder why you boys are so fascinated with my tellings of the Grey Wardens."

Dean smiled happily and adjusted himself in the bed to lay more comfortably. He stared at the guardsmen, awaiting for his mouth to open with the words that he sought immensely to hear.

 _"_ _In the furthest reach of the southern Frostback Mountains that extended beyond the land of Ferelden, a small group of Grey Wardens were hunting rams to fill their bellies. The men of the camp were starving dearly from their lack of socializing with other folk around them, therefore, they could not trade or buy food for themselves. While they were following the trail of a particularly large creature that appeared to hold more than enough meat, a loud growling noise could be heard off_ _in_ _the distance of the valleys that cut through the frosted cliffs of the mountains. It echoed greatly through the_ _small_ _winds and cold air."_

"What was the sound? Was it a dragon?" Dean asked curiously.

"Indeed." Tiberius answered. _"It was a great dragon known since the times of Ancient as the S_ _u_ _n of_ _the Scion._ _Word spread that the dragon had reappeared after the death of the 5_ _th_ _Archdemon and caused chaos throughout the southern lands._ _It was told in rumor that_ _s_ _he appears after the death of each Archdemon to feed on the animals that roam the mountains. But_ _s_ _he never faltered in h_ _er_ _appearance since then._ _Sh_ _e stayed for hundreds of years and fed on everything_ _s_ _he could find to quench h_ _er_ _thirst for blood and hunger for flesh._ _And not one being in the world wanted to become her next victim. Her jaws were strong enough to break Silverite. That is a force to not reckon."_

"What did they do when they heard her roaring, Tiberius?"

"They followed her. They concluded that even though the Sun's blood will burst into flame, as legend foretold, when it touches the ground, they could still harvest the meat upon it's large body." Tiberius continued. _"They followed the echoes. Tracing the roars of the dragon to an ice cavern that overlooked a small valley with a frozen lake. They did not fear death or the cold flame the beast wrought. The cavern darkened beyond sight, the roars growing louder as they entered, the Wardens entered without a second thought about what they were walking into. Further into the cave, they saw a light that shined brightly from the moon; a gaping hole through the ice above that lightened a small area with a nest. And inside the nest, were three eggs... dragon's eggs."_

 _"The Wardens only took but a step into the dome and the great dragon appeared. She flew through the hole above, landing only atop her nest of_ _eggs. As you may know, a mother protecting her young is far more dangerous than a father. She roared so viciously, that the walls around_ _them_ _began to shake, dropping boulder sized ice. The Grey Wardens did not run or turn their backs to the beast. They charged quickly, their screams gathering the full attention of her gaze. These brave men did battle with the dragon, fighting her cold flame and brutal strength until the sun had risen._ _And when the sun peaked over the horizon,_ _the battle was over, and the Grey Wardens succeeded in ending the terror of the S_ _u_ _n."_

 _"The Wardens spent the entire morning skinning the dragon with their sharpened blades and cutting it's meat with their axes. They thrived on the thought that they were to have their hunger quenched by the dragon's remains. They even took the eggs. The youngest Warden though had cracked the last one, leaving it behind to wither in the sun, for everyone knew that a cracked dragon's egg would rot faster than a cheese wheel. But it was also seen as an omen. The Wardens spent the remainder of their days remembering what they left behind. Not just the egg but their lives as well. You see, omens tend the follow the ones who carry the burden, and they did not wish to bring the darkness to their people. So the Wardens that slayed the dragon dispersed across the land, eventually dying as they aged graciously, awaiting death like an old friend."_

 _"And soon, all the Wardens followed the steps of the dragonslayers, disappearing into shadow. And that was the end of the Grey Wardens."_

Dean smiled before letting out a yawn to display his weariness of the night. "That was good. But how long ago did that happen? Didn't all dragons disappear?"

"They reappeared during the Ninth Age and remained for over 60 years. Then without a trace, disappeared altogether again. No one knows what happened to the dragons. But it seems that with the disappearance of the dragons, the Grey Wardens followed. Now both are extinct and remain so to this day. When the dragons disappeared, the next age began." Tiberius told the young one, standing up to set the chair back against the wall where it previously sat. He reached for the covers over Dean and lifted them closer over his shoulders so the boy would rest even more comfortably. "Now it's time to sleep, young Master Dean."

"Tiberius?" Dean called to him again as the guardsman began to make his way towards his post at the door.

"Yes?"

"Do you think that the Grey Wardens are still alive? Even just one?"

Tiberius did not answer the question. He just stared at the boy with a disgruntled expression across his face. How could he answer such a question without giving out too much information about the whereabouts of the Wardens? How could reveal that he himself was the very last of them? But to make his appearance weary, he answered as calmly as possible, "I do not know, young one. I honestly don't know."

Dean laid his head down and quickly thereafter, fell asleep like the rest of his brothers that lay quietly in their beds. Tiberius waited for an hour, just to be sure of the boy's drifting away into a deep slumber, and proceeded out the door and to his own quarters which rested right next to the six son's chambers. He took a quick glance around to make sure not a soul was approaching and walked through the door, closing it quickly behind him but quietly.

The deafening sounds of silence was music to his ears. He inhaled deeply and turned towards the stoned floor that lay underneath the foot of his own bed and a hardened leather engraved chest that contained most of his belongings with the exception of the armor adorned upon his back and the weapon that remained sheathed upon his hip. He stared but a few seconds before his right hand began to glow with a deep shade of blue energy. With a wave of his hand, the leather chest moved on it's own, sliding smoothly along the floor to reveal a large pitched hole in the stone.

The guardsman was careful to keep several aspects about himself a secret; including the fact that he was not only a Grey Warden but a mage as well. This situation was no different than any other. He had to stay secretive about his identity for the sake of his life and everyone around him. Getting too close to the family had a downfall that would result in their immediate life endangerment if word got out that a Grey Warden had been living amongst them for well over two years. And by extension, an apostate.

Tiberius waved his hand again and a small crate began to rise out of the hole, the body of it being smothered in the same blue energy that surrounded his right hand. And just as quickly as it lifted away, it dropped smoothly onto the stone floor at his feet. The energy dissipated from both himself and the crate, and he just stared at it for a few long moments. His mind swept away about everything that occurred to him, he knelt down and laid a hand upon the wooden surface of the seal that kept the crate closed. And the very second his fingers touched to the wood, he began to feel the heartbeat of what was inside of it.

Tiberius removed the top cover and laid it down next to his feet, taking a long gaze at what rested before him. He touched it calmly, his palm smoothing over the place where the crack used to be, and smiled when it warmed up to his touch. The heartbeat of it grew stronger, glowering brightly with his presence nearby like the moon to the night sky.

"Soon, young one... Soon... Your path will cross with their own, and destiny will partake in the end. The new age will begin... again."

 **Questions or Thoughts?**


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